LETTERKENNY AND MILFORD SCHOOL COMPLETION PROGRAMME (SCP)

CLUSTER GROUP

Job Descriptionand Person Specification

for the post of SCP Co-ordinator

Job Description.

Job Title:SCP Coordinator
Location:The post holder will be based in Errigal College and Mulroy

College

Type of contract:Specified Purpose (Job Share)

School Completion Programme (SCP)

The (SCP) was set up as part of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) DEIS Strategy – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools. Its aim is to increase the numbers of young people staying in primary and second level school and in doing so improve the numbers of pupils who successfully complete the Senior Cycle, or the equivalent.

The SCP operates nationally in 470 primary schools and 224 post-primary schools. There are 124 local SCP projects employing 248 full-time, 627 part-time and 2,211 sessional and other staff. Each of the 124 local SCP projects is led by a management committee comprising school principals, HSCL co-ordinators, parents and voluntary and statutory agencies. At a national level, SCP is supported by a national leadership team within the Senior Management Team of the Educational Welfare Services of the Child and Family Agency, with

responsibility for overseeing the operation and work of the local projects.

Letterkenny and MilfordSchool Completion Programme (SCP)

The Letterkenny and Milford SCP works with children and young people in one(1) Primary and two (2) Post-Primary schools. The Programme works with students, the school, the family and the community to encourage students to reach their full potential, and prevent early school leaving in the educational system.

The desired impact of SCP is retention of a young person to completion of the leaving certificate, equivalent qualification or suitable level of educational attainment which enables them to transition into further education, training or employment.

The three core outcomes of the School Completion Programme are;

(i)Improved Attendance

(ii)Improved Retention

(iii)Improved Participation.

List of Letterkenny and Milford Cluster Schools

The three (3) Schools attached to the Letterkenny and Milford SCP Cluster Group are:

Post Primary Schools (2)1.Errigal College, Letterkenny

2.Mulroy College, Milford

Primary Schools (1)3.EducateTogether National School

SCP work focuses on targeting and providing supports to young people identified to be most at risk of early school leaving and includes:

Identifying and supporting children at risk of not reaching their potential in the educational system

because of poor attendance, participation and retention via initiatives such as breakfast clubs;

homework clubs; afterschool supports; mentoring programmes; and therapeutic interventions;

Ensuring that schools have in place the appropriate procedures to monitor, identify and respond toattendance, participation and retention issue;

Implementing transfer programmes to support young people transitioning from primary to postprimaryschool.

The Position:

The SCP Co-ordinator will work as part of a team within the Letterkenny and Milford SCP Cluster Group providing support for students in school, after school and during holiday time and in the out of school setting.

SCP Co-ordinator Duties:

  1. Identifying and responding to the education welfare needs of targeted young people in particular those identified as at risk of leaving school early.
  2. Enabling and empowering young people to fully participate in their own formal education and other learning and development activities within the school environment.
  3. Keeping up to date with local, regional and national developments in the education and welfare sector, in relation to both policy and practice.
  4. Engaging the target group and enabling those young people to develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours particularly in the areas of social and emotional literacy, personal effectiveness, school readiness and educational achievement to enable them to effectively participate in the school environment.
  5. Designing, organising, implementing, monitoring and evaluating education and welfare support programmes with targeted groups of young people in school, after school, during school holidays and with those not in full-time education, bothin, the ‘in school’ and ‘out of school’/community setting.
  6. Operating efficient office procedures and administration systems e.g. filing, keeping records, managing invoices, petty cash and to submit any standard clerical procedures and all other relevant reports on time.
  7. Managethe accounts of the day to day expenditure of the programme and keep accurate records of payments and receipts; work within the budgetary constraints for the Programme.
  8. Act as Secretary and Treasurer of the Letterkenny and Milford School Completion Management Committee
  9. Plan, carry out and review the programmes/activities as set out in theSCPRetention Plan.
  10. Working collaboratively and networking with the other Education and Welfare Services, Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) and Education and Welfare Officers, the School Care Team, Principal(s) and other professionals to identify the young people to be targeted for the Project and to plan coordinated intervention for those young people across appropriate services which compliment SCP interventions.
  11. Advocating on behalf of targeted participants as appropriate.
  12. Planning own work schedule and set work targets in consultation with the Local Management Committee and Tusla.
  13. Reporting to the LMC and Tusla; attending meetings and preparing written reports as required for the LMC, Tusla and other funders.
  14. Supervision ofSCP staff as may be assigned to the SCP Co-ordinator.
  15. Make application to other agencies for additional funding (e.g. school meals funding/ family support agency) and manage the accounts of same.
  16. Carry out all other duties/ responsibilities as set out in theSCPAdministrative Guidelines/ Contract for the post.
  17. Undertaking any other duty that may be decided by the Local Management Committee from time to time.

LETTERKENNY AND MILFORD SCHOOL COMPLETION PROGRAMME (SCP)

CLUSTER GROUP

Person Specification

for the post of SCP Co-ordinator

Essential Criteria / Desirable Criteria
Professional Qualifications / Education to National Diploma or Degree Standard in the area of:
  • Education
  • Youth/Community Work
  • Psychology
  • Social Science/Social Care; or
  • Related Discipline

Experience / A minimum of one year relevant work experience in an educational setting. / Paid or voluntary experience working with young people
A proven track record of operating Budgets of a substantial nature.
Car/Driving Licence / The successful applicant must have access to a car and hold a full clean driving licence.
Person Specification / Leadership Potential
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Analysis and Decision Making
Management and Delivery of Results
Specialist Knowledge, Expertise and
Self Development
Drive and Commitment
Excellent interpersonal skills will include the ability to liaise with a wide range of contacts and build and maintain effective working relationships / Good IT skills, including Word processing & Excel or other Database packages.
Ability to be proactive, use own initiative and work effectively within a pressurised environment.
Strong communicator and team player
Positive and flexible approach to team working.
Good written communications skills, including ability to draft summary information and correspondence.

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